firstChristian Norfolk | Sunday Messages

Tim DeFor Can people really change? Jacob's sons were jealous, deceitful, and willing to betray their own brother for money. Years later, hardship, testing, and God's providence tested their hearts. God was at work through famine, fear, and painful choices. Would they be changed for good by bad times?

Randall Coffin | Life can feel like a roller coaster filled with unexpected twists and turns, highs and lows. The first part of Joesph's life might be described the same way. Through Joseph, we will discover that God is with us through all of life's intense ride jostling and that we can trust Him through it all. 

Tony Burke | Every day we choose what is most important by how we spend our time, energy and money. Sometimes we get so busy with school, sports, work, and fun we forget to make time for God. God wants to be more than an afterthought. He wants more than our leftovers. His design for fatherhood is for us to lead our families by putting Him first in everything and trusting Him completely every day.

Greg Springer | What happens when the one God has chosen to continue his covenant blessing to the world, turns out to be a snake?

Tim DeFor | "Two roads diverged... and that has made all the difference." Abraham and Lot made choices that made them. One's choice led him toward God; the other's lead away. The result? One reflected God's loving heart toward others and was blessed. The other was nearly destroyed because of man's sin and God's love. This story, though ancient loudly proclaims a difficult truth today, if we are wi...

Randall Coffin | On the mountain of sacrifice, Abraham learned that faith means placing God first above everything else. But this story is not only about Abraham's obedience—it also points us to God's great provision. Join us as we discover how Genesis 22 prepares our hearts to see the faithful love of God.

Tim DeFor | What happens when the promises of God seem delayed, uncertain, or even impossible? In Genesis 12–17, Abraham is caught between his circumstances and God's promise. As fear, waiting, failure, and unanswered questions build, the tension grows: how can trust in God grow when the future is unclear?

Kiah Jackson | What happens when Jesus asks us to surrender the thing we hold onto most? In this message we look at the story of the rich young ruler and discover what it means to trust Jesus with open hands instead of closed ones.

Julie DeFor | Life can be burdensome, with full backpacks—some weighed down by sin, struggle, pride, or exhaustion. When we see someone stumbling under the weight, do we help carry the burden or simply walk past? What if you are too weighed down to help others? This message helps us discover what God says about the weight we carry and the people beside us.

Tim DeFor | What happens when human ambition, cooperation, and new technology come together? In Genesis 11, a united people set out to build something great, something for God, something special. So, what's wrong with that?  Their story raises a question that still confronts our ambitions today.

Tony Burke | What if the story of Noah isn't a kids' bedtime story about animals and rainbows, but about a rescue we didn't realize we needed? Beneath the familiar story lies a world darker than we expect and a love stronger than we imagined — a love willing to confront brokenness in order to save what matters most. Sometimes God's love doesn't look gentle at first because it refuses to leave us d...

Tim DeFor | What if the life you think is better is actually the path to losing everything that matters most? From the very beginning, humanity faced a choice: trust God or believe the subtle lie that we know better. When that line is crossed, the consequences ripple deeper than we expect. But even in the aftermath, something unexpected begins to unfold.

Tim DeFor | Why did God make the world—was it out of need, loneliness, or something deeper? In Genesis 1, we see God bring order out of chaos, give form and function, and makes humanity in his image, giving them a special role in creation. But why? Discover how this radical departure from a common understanding reshapes the way we understand God, creation, and ourselves.

Tim DeFor | Death was final. The tomb was sealed. Hope was gone. That was Friday, but Sunday changed everything. Discover how Jesus revealed His victory over death in unexpected ways, extending an invitation that still stands today. Because this isn't just a story to believe—it's a life to be received.

Tony Burke | Real faith is what gets us through real life - and real life is messy. The church in Corinth struggled with division, pride, conflict, and confusion, yet Paul never gave up on them. Instead, he called them to walk together in the tension of grace and truth, loving one another the way Jesus did. Is it any different for us today?

Tim DeFor | Love leads us to compassion for others, especially brothers and sisters in Christ in dire situations. But how can I make a real difference? You might be surprised at the timeless practical principles that still work today.

Tim DeFor What if the entire Christian faith stands or falls on one bold claim? Paul says that if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our faith, our preaching, and even our hope are pointless and empty. Why would he risk saying something so extreme? This week we wrestle with why the resurrection is not just a detail of the gospel—but the very thing that makes everything else matter.

Tim DeFor | What is a church gathering supposed be like? In a room full of different voices, gifts, and personalities, things can quickly drift away from the purpose of being together. Maybe you've felt the tension in the room between some those who dominate, distract, or disengage entirely. What could it look like if gathering was about build everyone up?

Tony Burke | We've been trained our whole lives to think we're the point. My happiness. My preferences. My performance. My platform. Why should I be surprised, then, when I even start to make my relationship with Jesus about me, too?

Randall Coffin | Love - This could be one of the most complex words. It has a wide range of meaning and depth. It is used and misused is so many ways. Yet, The Bible is clear. We are called to love. What does the Bible mean? Let's talk about love.

Tim DeFor | What if you affect the health of the whole church family? Could it be that your place in the church family matters? What if we are intentionally together for a greater purpose than any of us could accomplish alone? What if...it's true?

Tim DeFor | What if the way you practice one of most sacred moments in church can actually do harm? Would you want to know? One church gets confronted because what religious on the surface was spiritually damaging at its core. Through his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul challenges us to rediscover the Lord's Supper and realize how it is celebrated can have ripple effects throughout the churc...

Tim DeFor | We are free in Christ, but does that mean we can do whatever we want? Paul's instructions to a chaotic church in Corinth reveal that our personal conduct in public worship speaks volumes to those around us. In limiting or expressing the freedom Christ's love gave us, we may actually be unloving. With such a confusion, how can we lovingly honor others and remove barriers to the work of...

Tony Burke | In a world that makes love easy to say and hard to live, and then keeps score of who deserves it, God invites us into something better. WE LOVE NEIGHBORS is a year-long emphasis that challenges us to respond with compassion and action whenever the opportunity to serve arises.

Randall Coffin | In a world that often rewards isolation, we are called to live differently by caring for the people God has placed right in front of us. WE LOVE NEIGHBORS is a year-long emphasis that challenges us to respond with compassion and action whenever the opportunity to serve arises.